Hamas to Abbas: Don't establish government without us

Hamas leader on Saturday sent a stern message to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas demanding him not to ask his prime minister to form a new government. Khaled Mashaal reacted to some media reports that Abbas is inclined to ask Salim Fayyad to form a new government without Hamas.

According to the AP, Mashaal said reconciliation talks between Hamas and Abbas' Fatah movement were ongoing and warned that unilateral steps by Abbas would lack legitimacy. Speaking in Damascus, the Hamas leader noted that a new round of Palestinian talks is set for May 16 and a move to form new cabinet in the West Bank will damage such talks.